Louis Vuitton’s latest Cruise show took place in a venue more commonly linked to theatre than fashion. For its 2026 collection, the brand chose the Cour d’Honneur of the Palais des Papes in Avignon, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and the main stage for the city’s annual performing arts festival. This choice set the tone for a collection that viewed clothing not only as design, but as a form of performance and storytelling.
The show marked a return to France for Artistic Director Nicolas Ghesquière, who has previously showcased Louis Vuitton’s Cruise collections at notable locations worldwide, including Rio de Janeiro, Lake Maggiore, Kyoto, Barcelona, and California. This time, the focus shifted toward celebrating French national heritage.
The event also acknowledged a significant cultural milestone, the 30th anniversary of Avignon’s historic center, including the Palais des Papes being inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Notably, this place has been the venue of six papal conclaves in the 1300s!
Instead of using the Palais des Papes as just a location, the show placed it at the center of the experience. The Cruise 2026 collection has focused on how clothing can be performative, hold artistic meaning, tell a story, and create an emotional response. This idea has matched the role of the venue, a place where people have come together to share stories and feelings for centuries.
In collaboration with artist Es Devlin, Mr. Ghesquière designed a runway that responded to the architecture of the Cour d’Honneur. The show began with a single-line passerelle set among the empty theatre stalls, gradually illuminated to reveal the texture and scale of the medieval structure. The lighting carefully highlighted architectural details, balancing the building’s mass with the elegance of its decoration.
As models moved to the main stage, the atmosphere shifted. A luminous floor was unveiled beneath them, contrasted with traditional materials like solid wood and red velvet. These elements were set against a red scaffolding structure, introducing a sharp, modern contrast to the historic site.
Mr. Ghesquiere is known to not just design collections, but design them keeping the venue of his presentation in mind. Appropriately, the collection fused his usual Star War-ish attitude with medieval touches.
There were capes with mirror work boots, sculptured ruffles on necks and skirts, leather dresses, suede sets, jacquard dresses, and more.
Audience seating also challenged tradition. Guests were placed on custom-designed banquettes and chairs facing the empty theatre seats rather than the runway, inverting the usual dynamic. This repositioning emphasized the Cour d’Honneur’s role as a space of heritage, culture, and performance.
The Cruise 2026 show did more than use a historic venue for drama, it integrated the location into its story. By anchoring its Cruise 2026 show in a site of national heritage, Louis Vuitton reinforces its positioning at the intersection of culture, architecture, and global visibility, a strategy that continues to strengthen the brand’s value beyond fashion.
